In my daily bible readings today I was struck by man's lack of leadership, and the folly that comes out of our inaction.
Man is repeatedly shown as complacent, and lacking leadership, resulting in unfortunate outcomes.
Adam in the Garden
Look at Adam in the garden, he eats the apple because Eve did. He was too weak willed to stop her or even himself, and then he blames God for giving him Eve who tempted him to fail.
No self-reflection: What a lack of personal accountability!
Genesis 3:12-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Abram and his adultery
Then again in Genesis 16, Abram was promised a son but he doubted God and Sarai told him to sleep with another woman... Abram was complacent and it resulted in jealousy and division for his family.
Genesis 16:2 English Standard Version (ESV)
2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children[a] by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Lot lays with his own daughters
And lastly, from my readings today, the example of Lot. He sleeps with his own daughter's, because they want to...
This is sin. This is gross. This is Lot's failure as a leader.
Lot lets his daughter's get him drunk, and surrenders to their advances. No matter how drunk you might be, you have to be a willing participant. Lot made his choice to surrender to the leadership of his daughters instead of being the leader and choosing more wisely.
Genesis 19:31-33 English Standard Version (ESV)
31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
Conclusion:
Whether it is Adam, Abraham, Lot or modern man we are made to be leaders and things go bad for us and the world at large when we abandon or deny that obligation.
Manhood is not an age, it means willing, intentional adoption of responsibility for the sake of the world around us. Our families, friends and our communities need our best. We can do better and we must.
